Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-05-18

oiuc tHc WiuuUN anu were CuTlOuSll
watching the movements of the rattle
snake, whom they expected any moment
to pounce upon the terrified rat and
devour it, but the snake took his own
time. 1t was evidently no common
rattleSnake, but genuine monarch of
its kind, who took life on IN easy plan
and never hurried about any thing.
In an adjoining cage lay Il great red
lizard doing IN the sun on the grayely
bed prepared for his comfort. This
creature was fat, and broad and torpid.
1t was also red and black alternately in
the most artistic fashion, as if the deft
fingers of some young lady skilled IN the
art of fancy work had beaded him TO
the queens taste. But this has little to
do with the story in question, save that
the lizard was soon reused from its
slumbers by being sharply prodded with
a stick, inasmuch rs it was time for
him to dine. Having, therefore, the
vision of feast in its mind, it lifted its
fat, red body, opened its eyes, and
awited developments. In the mean-
time the rattlesnake was moving slowly
about his cage, and the timorous rat
htto ClOoCl anu OAOoCl W NltC
bars. When the lizard awoke the people
turned their attention to it, and the
rattlesnake, attracted by the sound of
footsteps, took its eyes Off the rat, for
the time being, and fastened them in
tently upon its next door neighbOr.
At that juncture the door of the lizard s
cage was quickly opened and an egg
was rolled upon the gravelly carpet of
his habltation. 1t rested there but a
moment.
The fat, lazy red, creature Lecame
possessed of momentary energy. Moving
quickly to where the egg lay it seized
upon it like some Tapacious monster
devouring his prey, and, taking it in its
mouth attempted to swallow it down
with gulp. But the task was too
great. The lizards mouth was not
large enough. The creature gasped and
gurgled, and finally spat the egg out
again upon the gravel. Then rage
seemed to inspire the lizard. He rolled
his fat body angrily upon the egg, broke
it in two pieces, and quickly devoured
it one piece at time. This operation
beipg completed, his Hardship laid
down to rest again, and the attention Of
the crowd was at once turned again TO
the neighboring cage, where the rattle
snake was beginning to move rapidly IN
the direction of its prey. 1t was plain
case. The snake had tormented and
tantalized the rat until, tiring of the
sport, it had turned for moment TO
watch the lizard feeding on the egg.
and the sight had evidently increased
its own greedy hunger. Making one
swift advance upon the rat, he swallow
ed it so quickly that not one of the
spectators could explain how it was
done. As the snake swallowed the rat
the animal could be seen slipping along
the length of the reptiles body with un-
Unstable distinctneSs. \ few more gulps
and all was over. His snakeship then,
surfeited with the rat ON which it had
dined, soon flung itself on the cloth
lining of the stage which compOSeS its
couch and sank away into sleep. Doubt
less sleep brought to it many visions of
feasting time, many fields fairly paved
with gigantic rats which it possessed
the privilege to fall upon and doyour.
1t was the first time the lizard had par
taken of food for six weeks.
The proprietor Of the establishment
said that they never eat oftener, and
that Gagged rattlesnakes could never be
induced to eat frogs. If the rat had
been thrown into the cage dead the rat
tlesnake would have crawled over its
body for the space of years time with
out eating it; but it is the appearance of
life in these smaller and more helpless
animals which seem 10 provoke the
cruel desire of the TattleSnake. 1t is
said that the rattles are designed by
nature for the purpose of initiating the
sound of insects, thereby Turing the hap
less birds into the tolls of the snakes.
\ bird singing on the branch of tree
hears chirping sound which it imag-
ines emanates from the throat of some
juicy bug, quickly descendS among Il
thick growth of grasses and never
knows more, for it is at once seized
upon and devoUred by the reptile which
has been lying in wait for it, perhaps
for day. This is one of the rattle |
snakes sly tricks not usually known to |
the public. 1t is said, also, that there |
is no such thing as snake charming. |
huN DOUl uldf Dc IL SlldhC Cilsllll huO I
has sufficient courage to keep his eye |
fixed ON the bright orbs of the reptile,
and to prod it vigorously with a stick. |
In this way the snake may be irritated |
almost to death, and will never attempt |
to bite anything except the stick. 1t /
has long since been aScertained by those |
who deal in snakes that = professional |
never buys snake until |
he has learned that it is absolutely free |
from poison. The rattlesnakes they use |
have their poson-fangs extracted, and
other varieties OF snakes are many of |
them harmless. In this way wonderful |
feats are p rformed by so-called snake
charmers in public. 1t is curious
fact that all elements of the
poison found In rattlesnake are inhe !
rent in the common Irish potato. a |
teaspoon upon being forced into rat
tlesnake's mouth comes out brimful of |
the poison so much dreaded by man.